Monday 4 August 2014

Powerpointers

Ever since the term "workshop" ceased to become a place with tools in and started to become a seminar on "coping strategies for the networking narrative" or "how to maintain equilibrium in the work space" our language has had to be toughened up to compensate.



Just like Gordon Ramsay has to swear a lot to cover up the fact that he's just doing girly cooking, modern working lives have to contain macho stuff like "bullet points" and "power point" to make up for the absence of proper "manly" manufacturing references. I once went to a Librarians' Conference which featured "break out workshops" - I led a platoon of 6 plucky librarians armed with chisels and hacksaws along a corridor before we were beaten back by a "robust initiatives" group from the Large Print directive.


Anyway, all I wanted to say is that I had an idea that I could combine my passing familiarity with Powerpoint and spreadsheet charts with the fact that I'm now one of the oldest people in Blogland and use these modern tools of communication to impart gems of ill-gotten wisdom to you, dear reader. No, please don't thank me ... it's a public service.


Anyway, here's Powerpointer No 1:
(This post originally appeared in January 2009. I have republished it to give me inspiration to get a bit more regular again. Pip Pip!)

10 comments:

Z said...

I've always thought I'd wear, say and do whatever I liked when I hit eighty, but when I turned sixty I realised I already didn't give a damn.

Here's to you becoming regular!

Unknown said...

Hello Rog. I think your chart is about right generally, and anyway I love the way it evens out at about seventy five and then stays at around 'couldn't care less' for the duration. Hope that bit's right too.

Liz said...

I still think the graph is the wrong way around. I have never heard the phrase "You can't do that, what will people think" uttered by anyone under the age of 50. It is probably a generational thing.

PS: I've heard that prunes can help with being regular.

Rog said...

Z: It's a freedom lost in middle age but also the "freedom" of youth normally turns out to be rigid conformity to peer groups.

Mike & Ann: I'm sure you'll be in that camp whenever you get to that age!

Liz: Ah, they don't SAY that but I still think most people under 50 are more subject to peer pressure (Possibly career related). Here's to the subversive renegades (eg Sir B.)!

Sir Bruin said...

"Subversive" you say? I'm sure that I don't know what you mean. Having said that, I did once throw 10p at the chap chairing a meeting and suggest that he phone someone who gave a damn.

Rog said...

Or the time you introduced yourself at an induction meeting as Deborah?

Nota Bene said...

Ah I see. The elephant curve (well that's what I see) which is somewhat different to the J curve which presages a revolution.

Rog said...

NB - I was going to use the J-Lo-Curve which presages a Latin American revolution

Pat said...

I love your explanation of Ramsay's yobbish behaviour.
It is pleasing when one realises one doesn't give a s--t about most people's opinion about one's less than perfect behaviour. I just wish I could be more of a sweet old lady. Sadly lacking in that department.

Rog said...

Pat - I think you could be Miss Marple, disguising your needle sharp brain beneath an innocent exterior